Second Chances
by Everwood89
Summary: Chapter 17 now up! Ephram gets a choice to go back to Manhattan or stay in Everwood. Please readreview!
1. The Fate Of Colin

Chapter 1-The Fate Of Colin  
  
Everybody quickly stood up as my dad entered the room,crowding around him,awaiting the news on Colin.I had joined them after some serious consideration.Only to give in because Amy "needed a friend"as Nina told me the day of Colin's first surgery and that my dad might need my support - if things didn't turn out so well.  
  
Memories are just where you laid them/Drag the waters/Till the depths give up their dead  
  
I'm not the usual hospital type,so I usually didn't go when we were in New York.I went for Nonnie's hip operation,but of course that didn't count.Then I went again before Mom happened.I thought that I could talk my dad out of working on Christmas Eve.  
  
What did you expect to find/Was it something you left behind.....  
  
Though he usually worked them anyways,but ended up not even discussing the topic,or anything else for that matter;and I ended up stuck inside,not accomplishing anything.Then the second time,right after Mom left.I came to get away from it all,and came to out of all the places in New York,the hospital.I had enough with all the condolences and "I'm so sorry's".So I slipped out after everything had settled down.Delia had cried herself to sleep on the living room couch,and Nonnie had drifted to sleep,sitting with her.I didn't even bother waking Delia up,she would have inquired of me when was it that I was going at such a time.And there is not telling what Nonnie would have said.Dad himself had slipped out around midnight and went off,so no worries from him.I stayed there mostly on the roof top,looking at the night sky and on my dad's floor.  
  
Dont fall away/And leave me to myself/Dont fall away   
  
Once my dad walked through those double doors,I could tell something was different.He stood in the middle of our semi circle,looking each and every one of them in the eye then coming to me.Eyes,you can tell a lot by looking at someone's eyes.Whether they've had a bad day or if they are scared.Or strong and defiant.The eyes that I know,they are full of dignity and pride.For whatever it is for the moment.Saving a patient or making a sucessful meal.  
  
He held his gaze on me for the longest - enough to tell me more than others would know.Enough to tell me Colin's fate.Someway,The Great Doctor Brown had not suceeded.Not on this round.Looking at me for those few seconds told me all that.  
  
"I'm sorry,"he stammered.At that Mrs.Hart turned abruptly and started to cry as Mr.Hart held her tightly,stroking her hair softly.Bright looked down at his feet suddenly,fighting back tears.Mr.Abbot,being a father,pulled his son in for a hug.Different people took it different ways.And Amy,Amy walked out fastly,the door that Dad came in,not having an exact destination.  
  
And leave love bleeding/In my hands/In my hands again/And leave love bleeding/In my hands/In my hands/Love lies bleeding.....  
  
"Amy!"I shouted,as I followed her up the staircase.Nobody really uses them anymore except for doctors and when you're in an extreme emergency.She began to run fastly now.I had to take them two,even three at a time,only staying a few mere steps behind her."Amy!"I started again as we began another round of flights of stairs.I wasn't too far from her.  
  
"Go away!"she shouted."It's all you're fault."she said stopping breifly to look me in the face."Just go."she said as she began to climb the stairs,not running anymore.I followed her steathly up them,making sure to stay one flight behind her and close to the wall incase she happened to look down the middle.  
  
She even slowed,after four more flights.Then,completely broke down,pounding her fists in the corner of the wall,sobbing.I felt sorry for her,I'd completely know how she felt,it only happened to me just a year ago.I wanted to comfort her,to tell her "It's alright",knowing that even thought that's what people told me a year ago,making me even fuller of angst.I wanted to do anything that would help.But she told me to leave.I felt totally helpless as I watched her cry by herself.  
  
She cries her life is like/Some movie black and white/Dead actors faking lines/Over and over and over again she cries....... 


	2. All The Angst

Chapter Two - All The Angst  
  
"Amy,Bright,time for dinner!"Mom said from the bottom of the stairs,as I was dusting in my room.  
  
"Bright,Amy,are you guys coming anytime soon?"Dad asked sarcastically after a few minutes had passed.Neither of us had rose from our rooms.  
  
"Coming,coming."Bright said,voice altered because of a red Blow-Pop sticking out of his mouth.  
  
"You're not supposed to be eating."I stated as I turned down my music and walked out of my room.  
  
"Whatever."he said in a dull voice.  
  
"I thought you guys were abducted by aliens,you took so long.Come on,sit down."Dad said.  
  
"Not hungry."Bright stated.He seemed to be talking in shorthand,but that's written rather than spoken.  
  
"And why not?You're a supposedly growing boy,or even if not,you're usually hungry."Dad said tucking the cloth napkin in his shirt collar.  
  
"Not tonight,"Bright said,avoiding looking anybody in the eye.  
  
"Me neither,"I said,patting on the top of the wooden dining room chair.  
  
"Well,what's you're excuse?"Dad said turning to me.  
  
"I'm tired,I think I'm gonna turn in early."  
  
"I supposed you would since you've had a long day."Mom said,stopping Dad from adding anything else.I wanted to reply,"Had a long day because my boyfriend died or because my boyfriend died?" but I didn't,avoiding any confrontations.  
  
"Well if you're hungry later on,you have a nutritional meal awaiting you,don't go ordering any of the intestine gnarling pizza from Gino's....."Dad said,even though he secretly likes it.I think that the only reason is is because Chang calls him the only doctor in Everwood and says that since he is so high in authority,he gives us discounts.  
  
"Okay,"I said,walking back upstairs.  
  
"Yeah right."I heard Bright mutter as he walked up the steps.  
  
"Where you going?"I asked him as he grabbed a jacket out of our hall closet.Mom and Dad were in their room,presumably asleep.  
  
"Out."he respoded.  
  
"Cliff's End?"I asked.  
  
"Hmmm guess again!"  
  
"It's eleven o'clock."I stated.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Don't you ever think of anybody but yourself?" I scowled.  
  
"What makes you say that?"he said sarcastically.  
  
"Forget it."I said,angry at my brother.  
  
"Later."he said,continuing putting on his jacket.  
  
It's hopeless to even have a decent conversation with him now.He either completely zones out on you,giving you a blank stare or is morbidly sarcastic when he says something that you wonder if he's serious or not.  
  
I sat down on my bed and picked up my book again,How To Kill A Mocking Bird.We were assigned to it last year and read it as a class,but now since there was nothing to do,I decided to put my brain to some use as I read up on the life on Atticus Finch and his venturous children.Moreso,to excape all of this.  
  
I was just getting to part where Atticus is in court,presenting his case as my music ended.I'm not too much of a music freak,I usually don't keep headphones glued to my ears,but I had gotten into listening to music all the time over the last few days.So I got up and placed another cd in stereo,finding a burnt one that had no apparent owner label.  
  
"It must be one of Bright's...."I thought absent-mindedly as I stuck it in.It had a handmade label on it,with my name written across it,so that part of the "M" was missing because of the hole in the middle of the disk."Well,it most defidently can't be Bright's."I thought to myself as I pushed the play button.As soon the song registered and began to play,I knew who it was from exactly.  
  
Look at the stars/look how they shine for you/At everything you do/And they were all yellow/I came along/I wrote a song for you/And all the things you do/And it was caledl yellow.......  
  
Colin had made me a mixed cd with all these songs on them before the accident.All slow ones with a nice tempo and a good bass.Nothing hardcore like boom,boom,boom,but with a soft drumming background and a good bassist.  
  
So then I took my turn/Oh what a thing to have done/And it was all yellow.....  
  
"Only if he knew that then....."I thought,looking down at my Burbon carpet holding back tears.  
  
I remembered vaguely when he gave me it,when we were at our peak before it happened.Everything was going great.We loved each other.Or at least what I thought was love.Now I know.He didn't go all out on gifts because he knew that I would probably not accept any of it.So every once in a while,he'd give me something small,but very special.A pair of ballet shoes,a book,a cardingain,a perfectly preserved Grover doll.The little things that seem useless to many.  
  
"Here you go Grover,"he said handing me a small package,lighter than a pack of pencils,and a little over the size of my hand.  
  
"Thank you,and here you go."I said leaning in to kiss him goodbye,for it was past my curfew.Way,way past.He had pelted my room window with little pebbles from Mom's garden,light enough not to wake anybody who was asleep.It was one of our little signs.  
  
"Hmmm,I outa give you stuff more often."he said smiling and kissing me one more time lightly.  
  
"I wouldn't mind it."I said smiling.  
  
"Well,bye Grover."he said rubbing my arms since it was freezing cold that winter night.  
  
So then I took my turn/Oh what a thing to have done/And it was all yellow  
  
It was almost if he knew what was to endure in the following months.Like he knew that I was going to be mad at him for not even knowing we were fighting that day.Like he knew that something was going to happen in that car.Like he wanted to make up before it even happened.  
  
"'Night."I said,climbing back up my to my window by the fence that was on the side of the house.  
  
I could still remember that kiss and how happy I was to see him even though it was in negative twenty degree weather.Smiling I turned up the volume a little louder so I could hear my favorite part.  
  
You're skin/Oh yeah your skin and bones/Turn into something beautiful  
  
I wished that I could take back all the times that I was mad at Colin.All the times I didn't answer the phone.  
  
You know I love you so/You know I love you so  
  
And the other day when I didn't say "I love you" back.Three simple words that can make one upset even though it's invisible.  
  
"Amy,I need to talk to you."Bright said as he appeared in the doorway of my room.He had appeared so suddenly,that I gasped in shock."It's about the other -."  
  
"What the other day when you weren't there for best friend's surgery or when you don't even care enough to think about your best friend.Best friend,Bright,best friend."I said harshly.  
  
"I was driving."he said after he walked into my room.  
  
"What?"I said,not knowing what he was talking about.  
  
"Last Fourth of July,I was driving not Colin.I was drunk and swivered.It was me."he said,rambling on,covering the facts a few times over.  
  
"How could you?"I said,hot,angry tears beginning to fill my eyes.  
  
"It was an accident.I'm sorry.And now it's like I killed my best friend."he said,eyes extremely watery.  
  
"Go,"I said quietly."Go away and never come back."I said,pushing him out of my room.He stumbled and ended up hitting his head on the hall table.He began to say something but stopped,getting up and walking back downstairs. 


	3. Asking For Help

Chapter 3 -   
  
"Er,I'm Bright.Is Ephram home?"I said after I knocked on the Browns' front door.  
  
"Ye-,"a little girl said,looking straight ahead following my legs up to the rest of my body then looking up at me said,"-ah".Then she took off her hat and flattened her hair.That little girl looked familiar...  
  
"Well,then can I talk to him?"I asked after a few moments had passed.We're not related,she doesn't look like any of my cousins.  
  
"Oh,yeah,of course,let me get him."she said blushing and opening the door for me.  
  
"Thanks."I said,finally realizing that it was Cordelia from Edna's party.  
  
"Ephram!"she shouted up the stairs,standing at the landing."Bright's here!"  
  
"What?Bright?"I heard him mumble coming down the stairs.  
  
"See,I wasn't lying."she said,pointing towards me.  
  
"Oh,hello?"Ephram said.He then snatched off his glasses fastly,seeing me staring at them.  
  
"Hey,uh,can I talk to you?"I asked.   
  
"Yeah,lemme get my coat."he said,walking over to a closet and coming back."Alone."he said,squeezing his little sister's shoulder.  
  
"Okay,okay."she said,getting the hint and walking into their kitchen.  
  
"So..."Ephram said as I was turning the corner.  
  
"So?"I repeated.  
  
"Alright."he said,looking back out the window and taping on his leg.  
  
"Look,Brow-,Ephram.I need your help.Amy,she's really ticked at me and everything is so screwed up."I began.  
  
"Join the club,free admission today only.She won't talk to me either.I've called her like fifty times already..."he stated.  
  
"I need you to come to the funeral for her."I blurted out suddenly.  
  
"What?!I mean why ask me that outa all of the other people?"  
  
"She needs a friend.Kayla and Paige just hung out with her to boost their social status.Nobody else stuck with her this year.You gotta be there,she needs you there."I said.I waited after a few minutes passed as waited for an answer but he said nothing,hanging his head low.  
  
"Alright,whatever,count me in."he said after a while once we pulled back into Everwood."Uh,you can just let me out here."he said,taping the window.  
  
"Thanks."was all I could say and even then it was in a whisper.I never knew he had it in him. 


	4. The Longest Day

Chapter Four  
  
Before I give you the chapter,here's a few little things I want to tell you.First,since school has started,I won't be able to update as much because I've started writing my stories in my nine different binders plus the notebook that I made for my fanfic,so until I get them all collaborated together.Second,the floppy I was saving them on got totally screwed up somehow so now I'm just bootlegging off of what I remember.So if they lack detail or are very short,I'm so sorry!But I won't be doing so for long,because I'm just about up to the part that I left off at.Third,I noticed that the way I wrote Amy off was a little harsh and all so I'm correcting that now.One last thing,I'm working on my grammar,comma rules,English rules,etc,so soon it will be pretty correct and all.Hope you like the next few chapters that I write,especially the one with Ephram and a few new characters I've had in mind for a bit.It is going to be intresting I can tell you that because I had a blast writing it.Well,enough of me,go on and read already!!  
  
*********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Amy stared absent-mindedly through her window.And outside,it was becoming very dark.She didn't want to wake up from her sleep.Perhaps she didn't even want to wake up- not ever.Her boyfriend had just died two days ago.Three days ago,she was still with him,smelling his hair as he hugged her on the baseball diamond,feeling the warmth of his hand ontop of hers during the long drive home.She would have done anything and everything with him if she knew he wasn't going to come back.  
  
She wanted to run up to her brother and cry in his strong,muscular arms.That would be a first.But she couldn't let things turn out like during her recital.She wouldn't allow it.Even though it would be easier to let it all out.  
  
  
  
*********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
"Amy?"he asked shakily from the other side of the door.He himself wan't prepared to bury one of his best friends.One of he only friends really.But he had to keep strong.For Amy.She needed him right know,even though they were fighting.He himself felt far more miserable today and was much more serious.He had dropped all of the smart comments,put his PCH ego up,and stepped up to the plate.As a big brother.  
  
"It's time to leave."he said,voice wavering.His eyes began to sting.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
With that,Amy snapped back to reality,which was cold and unwelcoming.She tucked some strands of hair behind her ear,smoothed out her skirt,and took a deep breath.She would try all she could to keep calm.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************************************************   
  
All the way to the Harts the Abbots were silent.Their mother didn't have any words of comfort,nor did their father have any sly remarks to add onto the conversation.It was a very rare occurance,not even happening ever before.  
  
Then both Bright and Amy changed cars,and got into the limo with Laynie and her parents.There were both supposed to ride because,well,you know.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
The rain bore down on the church's tin roof as Amy and Bright proceeded the Harts into the church,almost all eyes bore down on them.Amy really longed to be held now,but she had to stay calm,she was Amy.And Bright had hold back the tears that were blocking his vision.He was pratically walking like a blind man as the were going down the isle to sit in the reserved pew.He had to stay macho,for he was one of Bright,one of most infamous players amoungst opposing teams.  
  
Almost everybody from school was there too,some people who barely even knew Colin.It was almost like a football jamboree.Everybody was there.Even most of the townspeople showed up.  
  
As soon as the pair came to the casket,now everybody's eyes were secretly diverted towards them.Bright bent down and kissed his hand,something very much out of character for him.He had never done such a thing with Colin,not needing to.It was like they were brothers and sometimes could pass as brothers if one didn't know better.When Amy came in face with Colin,she felt a hot,angry tear fall down her cheek silently.She could barely believe that he was leaving her.She bent low,tucked a few stray hairs behind her hair,and kissed him on his lips one last time.There weren't the lips that she had kissed months before,not anywhere near it.These went even Colin's.These were cold and uninviting.  
  
Then,Amy suddenly didn't want to be Amy.Beady eyes starred at her as if she were a creature on display in a plexiglass cube.Especially as sheWhat she wanted to do was to stand up on a chair and shout everything she was feeling.But that isn't what Amy Abbott does.She's a good student,popular,and had the perfect boyfriend that nobody else had a chance with.So she had to stay cool,calm,and collected.  
  
In the middle with of the middle selection sat Ephram Brown,with his father and sister.He would rather have been anywhere that in on that pew,in that church,on that street on that particular day.He would rather be anywere other than Everwood.  
  
He felt completely hopeless as Amy sat in front,weeping silently.Her shoulders shook violently even as her brother tried to calm her.He himself wanted to walk right up there and hug her tightly,even more so than when he day-dreamed about her.But the words still rang in his ears,'Go away please.'.Focusing on his hands that are lying on his lap,he can still only think about a few things,all involving Amy.He remembered about his many dreams of Amy and how his hands rested snugly on her hips kissed,and when she kissed him on Thanksgiving,pulling her her close.When things were going great with them,it's all he can think about and when she's mad at him it was all he can think about.She was like a state of mind......  
  
*********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Hope you guys liked that one!It was very had to write.I've been in this place and knew what I was going at but it's something very hard to write.So stay with me if even if you didn't like it because it was too sappy or melodramatic or whatever the excuse happens to be.Very hard chapter.But anyways,the next is coming up soon!That makes a record for me,two up in one day!'Score for Sydney!'my friend would say but then I'm not Sydney so it doesn't count...Anyways,keep on reading and reviewing,you insight is much appreciated! 


	5. Wake Up Call

I started walking down the stairs as I remembered that I was supposed to watch The Wizard Of Oz with Delia tonight. Dad usually did that type of stuff with her - one of the few things he actually did - but this time I had to cover. Ever since Colin's funeral, he had managed to bury himself in his work again. He'd drop by every few days or so, mostly Nina came to check up on us though. She'd bring by dinner or lunch,whatever it was she had cooked for herself and Sam. Not something that Dad asked her to do though,she'd do this out of common curtisoy. She knew what his food tasted like.  
  
On the couch,Delia was sleeping softly.She must have fallen asleep,for this is the thousandth time she's seen this movie. I, for a fact know so, Mom,Delia,and I used to watch it almost every weekend. That was when The Great Doctor Brown couldn't make his famous apperence. I picked up the remote that was hanging half way out of her grasp and turned off the movie. It was pretty much near the end,so she wouldn't have missed much.   
  
"Hey Delia,"I said softly.I didn't want to startle her if I awoke her.No answer."Del?"I said,slightly louder.Still no response.Then I bent down and lifted her and her mountain of blankets up. She was as light as a feather and weighed more like a six year old than a nine year old. I carried her up the stairs,past Dad's and into hers. Then I layed her softly down on top of the bed and tucked her in. Another one of Dad's jobs."Good night Delia."I said,pulling the covers snuggly around her and shutting her door just a little bit.  
  
I myself was getting a wee bit tired.I don't even know why I was still up.It was about one. In New York,at one,I would be awake and vivid,pumped on Starbucks Coffee and DDR music.Did I mention that this was Everwood? I decided to try and stay awake just a little more longer. I don't even know what for though. Partly because there was still that five year old kid in me that awaited his father's arrival so he could be tucked in once more, part because I wanted to prove to myself that he wasn't going to come and perhaps, never come back....  
  
"Ephram?"Delia said from the side of my bed.  
  
"Hmmm?"I said.I must have drifted asleep.  
  
"Can I stay with you?"she asked.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Please?"she pleaded.I wondered if she was having the same thoughts I was about Dad.  
  
"Yeah,come on."I said lifting up the covers.She slide in beside me.  
  
"Thanks Ephram."  
  
"No problem kiddo."I said softly.I then turned down my music a few notches,noticing that she probably wouldn't be lulled asleep by Thursday's Understanding In A Car Crash. Not one of the most serene songs.  
  
"'Night Ephram."she mumbled softly.  
  
"Goodnight Delia."I said back after a few moments.Too late,she was already sound asleep,her head burried into my chest,and his fist on top.  
  
********************  
  
I awoke suddenly to the chirping of the phone.Couldn't have been my cell phone. Nobody in Everwood knew my number, at least that's what I thought. I figured that if it really was important, they'd call back.Probably that forever-ailing Mrs.Andrews.Something always seemed to be wrong with her. And the most serious sickness that she's had known to man is a cold.Then I heard it chirp again,only to notice that it wasn't the house phone,it was my cell. Probably Dad calling from one of his imfamously mysterious locations to say lock up all the doors and make sure your sister goes to sleep.  
  
"Where and the hel -" I said,jumping out of my bed.  
  
"Dude,chill!"Scug said from the other line.What did he have to tell me in the middle of the night?  
  
"Sorry, I wasn't expecting you.."I explained.  
  
"No problem,man."he said.  
  
"So?"I said, after a few minutes had passed.  
  
"He's pressing charges man!"he then blurted out after another passing of minutes.  
  
"What?He can't do that, it's not illegal!"I said hotly.  
  
"There's some completely morbid law stating that it's illegal to drive a minor without the consultant or permission of a guardian out of state borders."he explained,voice quavering. It sounded like he's been doing some major research on it.  
  
"But it was three hours!That can't count."I argued.  
  
"And through three states."he said,miseably.  
  
"Can't there be some kind of loop hole in that one?I mean,there's gotta be a way out."I said.  
  
"I could get busted for this.What should I do?"he said.  
  
"I dunno man.I got my own crap load I can barely crawl through...."  
  
"What's with you?"   
  
"My dad.He hasn't been home for the past week..."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"I dunno.I don't even know if he's coming back."I said.  
  
"Don't worry,he'll come back."Scug said as his voice trailed off."Skip town?"he came up with after a few moments.  
  
"Where you gonna go?"  
  
"Oh,holy crap man! I gotta go, I think he's outside!Call you later!"Scug said.Then I heard the phone beep off suddenly.  
  
"Oh what am I gonna do?"I thought angrily as I fumbled around in my room in the dark. I was looking for my pack of cigarettes.It supposedly calmed nerves. I've only smoked half the pack total so I don't know for sure,and that was only after Mom died. I'd tried all kinds of things to make me get my mind off her. Anything I was handed at parties, or whatever. Not something I'd typically do or advise,but then I was out of it. I had got if from Scug,he'd done it every time something got him really uneasy and all,which was typically every few days. Neither of us were chain smokers but had accumalated the habit.   
  
I think that he had picked up the habit like a year or so after his dad died,it'd finally hit him that he wasn't going to come back.So with that,he started partying a little harder and since his mom wasn't there to stop him,you've been brought back to present day Scug.  
  
"Is Dad coming back?"Delia asked suddenly.  
  
I almost fell out of the window,trying to exicute the cigarette and remain calm. That was one of the last things I was doing - remaining calm.I then jammed the tip of the cigarette into my window seal.I'm surprised that I didn't drop it into the gutter.  
  
"Yeah,he's coming back."I said,my voice cracking.She'd caught me by surprise.She'd also obviously heard me and Scug on the phone. So much for being quiet.  
  
"When?"  
  
"Uh,Delia,I don't know.But trust me,he'll be coming back."I said.She then followed me into the bathroom unseen while I fumbled with my toothbrush.So much for calming my nerves too.  
  
"Is he leaving like Mom did?"she said,after watching me brush my teeth and splash my face with some cold water.  
  
"She didn't leave.And he won't."I said,not quite wanting to answer anymore of her questions.She was a smart girl but could ask too many questions sometimes.  
  
"Do me a favor Epham."  
  
"Yeah,what?"I said,lying back comfortably in my bed with my sister cuddled up on my side.  
  
"Don't ever leave me."she said,before drifting back to sleep.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
I hope that this chapter is okay,its once again,not the original one so bare with me please.And it's getting late so it might be a little off. I hope that what I wrote wasn't too out of character for Epharm or Delia.Please review after you read this chapter,your opinion is much appreciated. Oh yeah,the next few chapters should be going up soon,I've finished most of my homework for the week so I'll have some free time.Well,it's time for me to clock out so I hope you liked this one! 


	6. Breakfast

I awoke to a tingling feeling in my side. It was like it was asleep. Can complete right sides fall asleep? Interesting....Then, looking over, I saw Delia still asleep on my side. And to my good luck, she was asleep and then the phone started ringing. The home phone that is.   
  
"Hey Del,"I said. She didn't even budge. And I said it again and still the same thing. Then I picked her up gently, slid out from under her, and placed her back down on my bed. "Ephram ,it's me. Please pick up son." Dad's voice stung through my room and the hallway.   
  
"Alright, I see you don't want to talk to me, which is okay. I'm stuck in traffic and won't be home for another day or so. But there's money in the bank account so withdrawal some money for you and Delia. Treat yourself to a movie or something. Order a pizza or get something at Mama Joy's for dinner. I'll be home soon and if you need to call, call me on the cell. I love you both. Give Delia a kiss for me. Bye." he said quickly.   
  
"That's all he had to say?" I thought. "He's been gone for over a week and that's all he has to say?" I thought shaking my head.   
  
"Hey sleepy head." I greeted Delia, toweling my hair from my shower.   
  
"Hey Ephram."she said back, sprawled on my bedroom floor with some of my collectible anime figures.   
  
"You dressed yet?" I asked her as I flipped through my closet for something to wear. I still needed a shirt.   
  
"If I can find my hat I will be...."she said, flipping my comforter up.   
  
"What about we make a trade off. I promise to look for it with you if you wear-" I said, standing on my tippy toes, scanning the top of my closet. "This one!" I shouted ,producing a New York Yankees cap.   
  
"Wow, thanks Ephram! I've been needing a new one for the longest." she said as I handed it down to her.   
  
"No problem." I said, pulling a shirt over my head. "Go get your shoes and we'll leave for Mama Joy's." I told her, tossing her a jacket that was left in my closet.   
  
"Okay," she said happily, walking out of my room.   
  
*******************   
  
"Are you gonna make me eat vegetables?" Delia asked me as we walked down the sidewalk towards the diner.   
  
"Why would I?"I asked, looking down at her with a side glance.   
  
"Because we ate salad and pizza the other day."   
  
"That's just because we haven't had any vegetables at all. Besides, you used to eat it when Mom gave it to you." I said matter-of-factly.   
  
"Well that was different. It was cooked right and didn't taste that bad unless you looked at it." she replied back.   
  
"Well, then today's our free day." I said, grinning at Delia and squeezing her hand lightly. "Alright!"she exclaimed, as she walked in the door under my arm.   
  
"Hello!" Nina greeted us energetically from behind the counter.   
  
"Nina!" Delia said, looking her way and running towards her.   
  
"Hey Delia. Looks like somebody's happy today. How's it going Ephram?"   
  
"Good." I replied shortly.   
  
"That's good..."Nina said awkwardly. "Well, give me a minute and I'll take you orders." she said, walking back towards the back.   
  
"So what's it gonna be Delia?" I said, flipping through the menu even though I memorized it already.   
  
"What can I have? "she asked.   
  
"Anything you want." I replied, reassuring her with a grin.   
  
"Anything?" she asked, eyes widening.   
  
"Yeah, anything."   
  
"Can I have fries?"   
  
"That's it? I thought you liked pizza and ice cream or whatever it is at Nina's that keeps you coming back." I told her.   
  
"She doesn't have fries." she told me.   
  
"Well then fries it is." I stated over to Delia just as Nina walked over.   
  
"Just fries?"   
  
"Yes, and mondo plate of fries and some cheese." I told her.   
  
"That'll be back in a minute." she told us, turning back around.   
  
"Dad would have never let me have this." Delia said.   
  
"Dad will never find out." I reassured her with a wink.   
  
"Your stuff will be ready in a few. Ephram -"Nina began.   
  
"Delia, why don't you go wash your hands?" I suggested lightly and purposely interrupting Nina. Looking from me, to Nina, and back, she decided to go.   
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, sliding in the booth where Delia had sat.   
  
"Yeah, fine. "I said.   
  
"Listen, I know that it's been hard on you two but hang in for your father." she said, touching my hand lightly. I instantly pulled back, making her slightly embarrassed and she automatically got up and walked back off towards the kitchen. Then Delia came back - just a minute too late though.   
  
"Here you go you guys." she said, arriving back with a plate of smoking fries,cheese,and two drinks.   
  
"Thanks Nina," I said. Then so Delia wouldn't hear," Really."   
  
*****************************   
  
I hope that that wasn't a bad chapter. I've been struggling to write it b/c my laptop hasn't come back yet and it's gonna cost roughly 200 dollars to get it fixed. But enough with me. I've already written out the next few chapters on paper and just need to know whether or not you guys want me to bring in some of my homemade characters (Dulcie and Holden {but his name might change}). If I do, they'll stay for long so you've been warned j/k!!! Well,anyways,I'll try to get the next chapter to you over the weekend, so see ya when I see ya! 


	7. Going Back

"Where you been?" I asked low and sarcastic voice from my position on the couch as soon as Dad had closed the door. He had came in as suddenly and abruptly as he had left.  
  
"So much for a welcome back,eh Ephram?" he said. I couldn't exactly tell if it was sarcastic or supposed to be sarcastic or not.  
  
"You seem to make good timing."  
  
"Look Ephram, since I'm back now, I think we might need to talk."he said depositing his duffle bag and jacket in the closet.  
  
"What's there to talk about? Hmmm,let me think. Is it something along the lines of leaving your fifteen year old son to car for his nine year old sister who has despertely needed her father over the past week?"  
  
"I was out doing some work, don't start with me right now."he said getting out of his seat.  
  
"You know what,she thought you were gone like Mom was tonight. And when I told her that you weren't, she still cried until I promised her that you hadn't."  
  
"Is she okay?"he asked immediantly.  
  
"Yeah she's okay.I got her asleep twenty minutes ago."  
  
"I'm sorry you had to deal with that?"  
  
"Sorry doesn't do it. It doesn't make everything better. It doesn't bring back Mom or even take back Delia's nightmares."  
  
"Look Ephram, I do a hell of a load to keep up with everything around here, I don't need a lecture from you -"  
  
"Like I don't? You know what, forget this, I'm going back to bed."I said walking up the stairs facing him. I slammed my door as hard as I could as soon as I got into my room.   
  
"Ephram, dinner's ready!"Dad shouted from downstairs. I hadn't made so much as even a move from my room except to take my shower at five in the morning. I had no intentions of talking to him again - ever. So with that, I turned off my cd player and turned on a cd in my stereo.  
  
"There's no money.There's no possesion.Only obsession.I don't need that sh*t...."blared from my speakers.   
  
"Ephram!"Dad said,pounding on my door this time.  
  
"I just wanna be heard.Loud and clear are my words.Comin' from within a man, tell em' what you heard...."  
  
"I didn't answer."I told Dad blandly as he came in my room.  
  
"You didn't need to."he told me simply after turning off my music."Dinner's ready,go wash your hands."he said as he walked back out. I sighed and reluctantly obeyed.  
  
  
  
"I have a proposition to make."Dad announced as soon as we started eating. I started pushing my food around hoping not to look to interested in what he had to say.  
  
"A proposition?"Delia questioned.  
  
"A deal."I told her.  
  
"Ohh,okay..."she said,continuing on to stab each individual macaroni noodle.  
  
"I need to go out of town for a few days -"  
  
"Haven't you done enough of that lately?"I muttered.  
  
"And you guys are going back to New York."he finished,ignoring what I had said.  
  
"New York? We're going back to New York?"Delia questioned estatically.  
  
"Yeah, just for a few days but yeah."Dad said cheerfully."You gotta pack sometime tonight or sometime tomorrow,your flight leaves at five,five hours is nonstop.You'll stay with Nonnie and Grandpa for four days and you'll come back on the fifth same time you left."he said,all connecting it in one breath, like he had praticed it days before.  
  
"Alright!"Delia said excitedly, doing a little dance in her seat, swaying her fork to silent music.  
  
"Ephram?"Dad asked me.   
  
"I'm not very hungry anymore.But good dinner."I said nodding curtly and walking back upstairs.  
  
****************************************  
  
Delia was very anxious to get off the plane. So was I, but I didn't quite show it the way she did. She was pratically a walking talking New York brochure. She had on the cap that I gave her the other day, a slingbag that had a new york patch on it, and New York jacket that I had snagged from HotTopic for her. Well, okay, maybe I too was a brochure with my New York beenie and Subway shirt, I don't know.  
  
I had insisted upon taking the twenty minute taxi ride to Nonnie and Grandpa's. To get the complete New York feel. You see, it's very authentic. You can't get it from Boston or Chiago or London. Only from New York. The whole time we discussed it through they obliged and said that they'd love to pick us up. But what they really meant is that I'm not as 'tough' per se as a year ago. And then the infamous impending fact that it was night wagered heavly on the decision. Anyways, I finally got them to allow Delia and I to take a taxi. And unlike Everwood, there's always like at lease a hundred taxi drivers on duty.That's usually during lunch hour.  
  
"Taxi!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, thumb extended into the semi-warm night air. The weather was definatly better here.  
  
"Maybe we should call Nonnie, she'll pick us up."Delia suggested unsurely as the eleventh taxi bypassed us.  
  
"Ah,I can get it" I told myself more than her as one more taxi passed."See? What'd I tell ya?"I told her as I opened the door.  
  
"Where to?" the driver said mysteriously.  
  
"Uh,140 Main Drive." I said simply. I could have furthermore extended the conversation but this is nowhere near Everwood. Here they think you're some kind of freak if you start a full blown conversation or attempt one. There,they think you're stuck up if you don't.  
  
As soon as we got onto Times Square, all these thoughts and feelings started flooding back into my memory.The arcade Dad used to take me to when I was five; Catherine Adams which is a complete one itself; all the Broadways Mom insisted us on seeing,no less than six a year; and one of the best which could make a whole memory - our last trip to the Hamptons. All the memories I forged myself to forget over the past year....  
  
"140 Main Drive,$12.87."the cabbie said as he pulled up to the curb of Nonnie's house.  
  
"Thanks," I said paying him an extra six dollars over, hoping that that was a good tipping rate.  
  
"My goodness, look at you two!" Nonnie exclaimed as soon as she opened the door. I didn't even have to ring the bell.  
  
"Nonnie!" Delia said excitedly.   
  
"Oh Delia, you look more and more like your mother everytime I see you!"Nonnie said hugging Delia very tightly and half dragging her inside.  
  
"Good to see you Ephram."Grandpa said, hugging me.  
  
"Good to see you too."I told him.  
  
"And you!What is you're father feeding you?All skin and bones and even taller."she said, examining me head to toe."You know, I'd run off and elope with you tonight if you had your driver's liciense."she whispered though it was still loud enough for Delia to start to giggle and Grandpa start to smile.  
  
"What do you guys want to eat?"Grandpa asked,leading us to the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, we got some of the good stuff.Salad,mushrooms,beets - and that's just to name a few."Nonnie said jokingly, pulling out a few glasses.  
  
"You guys care for anything to drink?"  
  
"Any orange juice?"I asked,setting my sling bag on the floor next to the counter.  
  
"That,grape juice,and apple juice."he replied.  
  
"I'll take orange juice please."  
  
"Can I have apple juice?"Delia asked as she hoisted herself up on a bar stool.  
  
"It's may I not can I."I corrected her simply.  
  
"May I have apple juice?"she said,making big eyes at me.  
  
"Yes,you may Delia."Nonnie replied.  
  
"Is that all your stuff?"Grandpa questioned,as soon as he put all the bottles back inside the refridgerator.  
  
"Yeah.I didn't wanna go through the bag claiming thingy."  
  
"Cargo pick-up."a smiling Delia corrected me.  
  
"What she said." I said, giving her the big eyes. I hate going through all that bag claimage stuff at airports and bus stations so I've always brought all my stuff in something I can carry on.  
  
"Well,you're going to go back with twice as more stuff I can tell."Nonnie said."How about the four of us,anywhere on Times Square until say seven.Then a show or something at eight?"she suggested. I could already tell that she had a mental day by day hour by hour planner lodged in her head.  
  
"Sure!"Delia said in agreement.  
  
"Sounds cool."I said.  
  
"Great!"Nonnie said clapping her hands together.  
  
"Oh yeah Ephram,one of your friends called eariler.Well, two actually.I can't put my tongue to the names though."he said,taking a note attached to the refridgerator off. "They said to call them back later and that there was something going on at Monkie Funnies as I recall..."  
  
"Jacob, wasn't his name Steven,or Stu,or Samuel?"  
  
"Scug?"I blurted out after wondering who was she trying to name.  
  
"Yeah,that's it, Scug. He said there was something mondo that you need to take part in."he said,reading straight off the sheet of paper.  
  
"And there was a sweet girl that called about you."Nonnie said,sounding endearing."Katie perhaps?"she suggested."No,no,no, it was Catherine."she said,correcting herself.  
  
"Catherine Adams!?!"I said,half jumping out of my clothes. I hadn't spoken to her since we left.  
  
"You two a couple?"Nonnie asked happily.  
  
"You gotta girlfriend?"Delia asked me,not anywhere near innocent.  
  
"Yeah,she wants you to call her."Grandpa said,pointing to the number on the paper.  
  
"May I go?"I asked,taking the paper from him and tearing off the bottom part.  
  
"Yeah,yeah, just be back by two or so."he called after me.  
  
"And take a jacket,it's supposed to get colder later on." she told me.  
  
*******************************************************************************************************************  
  
Hey,hope that was a good chapter! I'm getting very close to bringing in the new characters, probably in the next chapter. I've never been to NY or any other big city places except for if you count Charleston,SC so bear with me for the whole city experiences.Umm, what else is there for me to say without spoiling anything? Well, here's one thing, the girl I'm making up, Dulcie (who's from NY and related to Scug in some odd way or another I still gotta figure that one out..) what do you guys want her to be really good at? I mean, music, poetry, dance? For some odd reason, I try to put something artsy related behind all of my characters and I'm kind of stumped on her.And I'm also debating whether or not to make her a possible and I say possible love interest if you will for Ephram? I don't know, but any suggestions are welcome. I got a computer all to myself now so I will definetly be updating every other day at least promise! But one bad thing is that I haven't gotten any writing program with a spell check installed on my computer so please bear with me.One last thing, my second story, Everwood:Beginnings is also going to be updated on the same basis so please read and review it if you haven't already!Anything is welcomed!  
  
Everwood89 


	8. An Old Friend

As soon as I was halfway to Scug's house, I took out the sliver of paper that Catherine's phone number and started to dial with shaking fingers.   
  
"376-9873,376-9873,37......"I chanted lowly as I began to dial. She probably wouldn't pick up,not knowing who was calling and all.  
  
"Hello?"she half-shouted. I could hear the bass a song in the background.  
  
"Hey,it's me."  
  
"Hold on a sec,I can't hear you."she said."Okay,back."she informed me after a minute or so."Who's this?"she asked curiously after I failed to say anything else.  
  
"It's me,"I said stupidly once again.  
  
"Hello?Are you going to tell me who this is?"she asked a little hotly. I was still awestruck that she had even picked up."Alright,whatever."she said loudly as the music started up once again.  
  
"Nice going,modern day Mozart." a familiar voice said from behind me.  
  
"Wha-"I started to say.  
  
"I'm doing great Ephram,how are you?"Scug said sarcastically.  
  
"Oh,dude,you have no idea how good it is to see a New Yorker..."I told Scug. I hadn't seen him ever since we left.  
  
"And you have no idea how it is to see a fellow Everwoodian or whatever you guys call yourselves down there."he replied."You going to the party tonight right?"he asked,slinging his arm over my shoulder.  
  
"Yeah,why?"  
  
"Because Catherine will totally kick my ass because she's hot for your's and I promised you'd be there."he explained.  
  
"So you're basically saying that you don't want your ass kicked by a girl who's totally hot and you want me to take the heat for you?"  
  
"Yeah,kinda."he said grinning smidley."Hey,come in for a second, I wanna show you something."he said as he walked up to the side door of his house.  
  
He lived in a penthouse basically,except for the bottom floors belonged to his name too. Three whole levels and currently just three people residing in it. Talk about extravagent.   
  
Ever since his father died, his mother took up a newly refound interest in her job, going to all the five star hotels and resorts for weeklong stays,giving them reviews and critiques and then submitting them to a magazine. Every few months or so,Scug says that she'll stop by and stay for a week or so.  
  
"Tell me how you're going to pull that off."I told Scug as he stepped up to their vault like back door.  
  
"Easy.Watch and learn wee man."he said as he took his left hand and slid them precariously against the three locks. They looked like the kind you have attached to your locker, only bigger,equavilient to the size of a palm though. Then with ease,he pushed open the door and let me inside.   
  
"You know what, I don't even want to know how you came up with that one."I told him.  
  
"Don't let it boggle your brain man."he said,running his hands along the wall. He seemed to be counting something.  
  
"I wanna show you what I got the other day,you won't even believe it."  
  
"A new car?"I asked,remembering back when he told me he was to get a fully loaded Dodge Durango.  
  
"Nah,Mom would have a heart attack."he said laughing.  
  
"New turntables?"I asked.   
  
"Nope."  
  
"Computer?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Cell phone,pool set,game system, comic collection what?"I asked him. While his mom is gone on her travel expeditions, he's known for doing something rather far fetched. He once invited like a hundrend plus people to his house one night and had everybody who wanted to stay until like six the next morning.  
  
"I ain't tellin'."he said,walking up the stairs,still running his fingers along the walls.  
  
"I thought you're bedroom was the one at the end of the hallway?"I mentioned,trying to think back to the last time I'd actually been inside his house.  
  
"Yeah,it is.Good memory." he said recoiling his grasp from the doorknob it was orginally on and walking a little farther along the hallway looking slightly embarrassed.  
  
Even more so than before I noticed that the hallways were filled with more pictures of his father and other portraits had painted. Their father died in the Holocaust-like attacks of 9/11, in his office room that was in the second tower. After that, his mom didn't know what to do or where to start over at so eventually, she ended up disapating into her work,sending Dulcie off to a boarding school in an even upper stated part of New York and Rory off to some private school not too far from here. But, eventually, they both ended back home with Scug, going to the private school that he and I both went to.  
  
"I wish it was a dominate trait..."I mumbled thinking back to Dad.  
  
"Meet the newest addition to the rack....Mark Hoppus 2005."Scug said in an announcer like voice as he carefully held out the black eletric guitar."It's loaded with a whole bunch of jazz."he said,his eyes sparkling in a way.  
  
Most of the people I associate with here are some type of musicians. Dulcie plays the guitar and ironically,the violin;Rory,anything he can pick up. And Scug, well,he's a guitar kind of guy. He has about ten,collecting different ones to fit his needs at the moment and a couple that are antiques. Some he'll take down to the subway and others he'll just play for fun on.   
  
"Aww,sweet,when'd you get it?"I asked, running my fingers along the tune-up pegs.  
  
"A month or so back.Dulcie bought it for me."he said.  
  
"You must have ran a marathon or something."I said. They were pretty close being brother and sister and all but custom made guitars can be pretty hefty.  
  
"You wouldn't believe what I did...Here,try it out man."he said,handing it over to me.  
  
"I suck at playing."I said.  
  
"So,just try a few chords.Maybe we can go down to the subway one day,we've accumilated some big tippers over the past months."  
  
"I could use some extra cash,"I said as I ran my fingers over the strings.   
  
"You're right,you do suck."he said laughing."Lessons are twenty an hour,but since you're a friend,I'll discount it to say,half off?"he offered, popping his head back out of his closet.  
  
"Or,better yet, I could totally not go to this party and you get you ass whooped by a girl and still continue to suck as a guitarist. It won't hurt me by not taking the offer you know. I can still clean out my dad's credit cards,get a passport,and move to some foreign country and start everything over by becoming a famous pianist and find some guitarst who will pay me to take lessons from him."I told him grinning.It felt good to be on common ground again,it was like I hadn't actually left for good-just went away on holiday for a while.  
  
"You know what,we'll call if even. You go and save me while I'll forfeit some of my time to teach a prodagy."  
  
"Sounds like a deal."I said removing the guitar strap from my shoulder and placing it carefully back in it's on the rack.  
  
"So,anything interesting happen lately?"I asked after a while. I had a feeling that he wasn't telling me everything he knew.  
  
"Not really.My head is still presumably bald,we almost burnt the house down and bonus I got a new tattoo."he said flipping his wrist over so I could see it. It was a tattoo written in Japanese saying,'Life'.  
  
"Didn't that hurt?"I asked quizzically.  
  
"Can you read it?"he asked. I nodded my head yes."Well then there's your answer."  
  
"How bad?"  
  
"Like hell."he explained shortly,pulling a shirt over his head then a beanie.  
  
*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*  
  
Hey Guys!*says in a sqeaky like whisper* Hoped that one was good. I'm getting at something with the way Scug runs his fingers along the walls,the combination lock door,and a the bald head so please stay with me for just a little bit longer. Soon this will convert to the angsty tragedy stuff,so if you happen to like that (which I do) you just gotta stay and read it. Now I'm kinda making filler chapters because I have Scug's visit figured out and everything after for a few chapters so it's crystal clear and set in stone but I still have to work up to that point if that makes any sense. And my homework is ensconcing me so I type when I can. I hope that I wrote his character off okay, since I've never actually seen him portrayed on tv, I'm basically making him up.Figuring that this is all I have to say, I'm clocking out now but I hope you liked it and another chapter will be up for sure tomorrow!  
  
Everwood89  
  
P.S -- I forgot to mention this but sorry for the profanities! I usually don't say them because I'd get into mondo trouble for it but I felt it might be a little nessecary to pull of the character's with the vibe I was aiming for. So,soooo sorry Mum! 


	9. Good Times

Hey Readers!  
  
First off I want to apologize if I don't get these chapters out as often as I promised. I'm kind of at one of the biggest stand-stills in my writing career { haha,hobby is more like it * ) } and am very baffled on what to write about next. Sometimes I kind of skip a beat and jump to a completely different part of my story without even bothering or explaining what's previously happened because I know it all mentally. Therefore, I'm kind of lagging on what needs to be said. I think I've gotten an idea of how I want to display the rest of Ephram's stay in NY but still have to type it. And also, when I type, I write what I'm thinking or mumbling silently so if anything a character or I say repeats what's been previously stated, please forgive me. It's kind of gotten into a bad habit lately, I don't know quite where I picked it up....Anyways, since I'm rambling now, I'll go on and start on the next chapter so you don't have to be left hanging for long. So hope you like it!  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
"Relax dude,"Scug said for the thousandth time once we were inside the comic slash arcade store. "You know,it wouldn't kill if you actually talked to her tonight."he said after awaiting my answer.  
  
"What do I say? I mean, I haven't talked to her ever since last year. I don't think that a casual 'What's up?' will pass this time." I said running my fingers through my hair.  
  
"You know what I think you need?"  
  
"I probably don't want to know..."I said halfheartedly.  
  
"Liquid courage. I mean, what's a party without it?"he said smiling as he led me down even further into the basment level. Inside some sort of storage extreme storage room was a kegger.  
  
"Nah,I think I'd outa be sober this time around..." I said remembering the kegger when my grandparents were over.  
  
"Come on,just a cup. It won't do too much,and what it does or doesn't do won't harm you."he said, already filling up my cup. I took it reluctantly and drank it all down fastly.  
  
"See? Now - "he started just as Dulcie came up to him and whispered something in his ear. She had changed alot since I'd last saw her. Actually, everybody had changed alot since last year but she had made some extreme changes from what I remember....  
  
"Hey,lemme go make a phone call, just relax man."Scug said,taking the sliver of paper Dulcie had dropped in his hand.  
  
"So..."  
  
"So,"I repeated stupidly. I can say some of the stupidest things sometimes...  
  
"How's it been? I mean, how's Everwood?"she asked running her fingers through her hair.  
  
"It's okay;I like better in some places,I mean here."I said nervously.  
  
"How long you staying?"she asked, trying to keep the conversation going.  
  
"Ah, about four days, not for long."I said. "What about you guys and your dad,everything good?"I said noticing that it was my turn to say something.  
  
"Well, I haven't actually talked or seen Dave since last year or so. I basically bunked out with Scug and Rory....other than that, everything's cool."she started slowly.  
  
"Good,good."I said. She was making me extremely nervous for some reason - I could barely imagine what Catherine would make me do.  
  
"Hey,uh, everything's clear."Scug told Dulcie as he made his appearance back in. Just in time.  
  
"Oh,great.Um,so I'll see you later right Ephram?"Dulcie asked as she turned around.  
  
"Yeah,later."I replied back.  
  
"Ephram,dude,you wouldn't mind if I bailed on you for like thirty minutes would you? I mean, Rory called and I kinda need to be there..."his voice trailed off.  
  
"Oh,alright,cool."  
  
"You sure man? I mean, I don't wanna leave you hanging - "  
  
"Yeah,no problem." I said.  
  
"Alright. Well, I'll be back in a few, I hope he won't keep me for long. Call me if anything interesting happens."he said slapping me on my back while pushing me forward out of the room.  
  
"Yeah,surething."I told him.  
  
I ended up playing a intense game of free pinball for about a little less then an hour. And still no sign of Scug. My head was hurting so profusely then that it would have been easier to continue playing than to try and find Catherine and hook up with her anyways.  
  
Out the corner of my eye, I saw a flash or pink and blonde combined,rapped up in a messy bun. And a whiff of something smelling of cherry JollyRanchers - Catherine's perfume. Before my next ball could even come out of the machine I felt somebody turn my around precariously then slide their hands around my neck. It was Catherine. She then lodged me into a corner and kissed me long and hard.  
  
"Catherine?" I asked dumb and bluntly as I broke away from our nowhere near endearing kiss.  
  
"Shhh...."she said just before returning to where we left off.  
  
"Hey," somebody said poking me in my ribs with a finger. I ignored whomever it was and continued on. Then they coughed loudly a few times.   
  
"Ouch!" I exclaimed as I pulled back from Catherine. That time they had flickered a lighter flame pretty close to me,making it nip the bottom of my ear. Not enough to cause any damage, but certainly enough to make me stop.  
  
"Your 'rents called. Now do you want me to tell them that you're making out in a dark corner in god-knows-where doing god-knows-what,cover for you,or telling them that you just walked out to go home?" Scug said.  
  
"Oh sh-"I started.  
  
"Shh,shh,they're still on the phone."he said pointing to his hand that was snuggly fitted over the talking part.  
  
"Cover for me,whatever. I'll manage to see you later Catherine."I told her as I started walking outside.  
  
!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!  
  
It took me two whole days to write this one! TWO whole days! And finally I'm done (thanks God!). I'm starting on the next one as soon as I submit this so check back pretty soon for Chapter Nine! Oh yeah,the Catherine in the chapter isn't a homemade one, it's the same girl that we saw at the diner in The Unveiling and that Ephram mentioned in the diner when he was talking to Amy about a girl who 'wasn't the most popular but was definately very,very pretty'. Yeah,that one. And another thing, I was reading somebody's story and saw that they had a homemade character by the name of Holden the other day so I decided to change my 'Holden' to Rory. Please read and review any of my stories, especially this one and Everwood:Beginnings (so I know whether I need not continue or what).  
  
Thx,  
  
Everwood89 


	10. Burdens

I soon found myself wandering closer and closer towards the door. I would be a total bust if Mom came home and found Rory by himself. Or actually him there at all - the last time she checked in on us which was the very end of the school year - I was the only one here.  
  
"Hey,"a voice greeted me from somewhere near. It sounded familiar but I couldn't make anybody out in the dark.  
  
"Hey yourself. You know I can't see man,come out before I start swinging." I said,thinking I knew who it was. I predicted Rory but it could have easily been Ephram even though I think he might have needed to go back home.  
  
"I'm not hiding,I'm in a tree."he stated.Yeah,that was definately Rory.  
  
"Get down from there,you're not supposed to be out this late."  
  
"And you're not supposed to be drinking."he said,taking my hand and leading my inside like a blind mouse.I guess he could smell it on me."Nor smoking,and you are supposed to be getting rest."  
  
"Hey, you stay outa my problems!" I replied angrily.   
  
"How can I stay outa them? You don't exactly take care of them by yourself!"he fired.  
  
"I do what I want. I know what I'm doing."I said following his footsteps. He was walking upstairs.  
  
"Oh yeah? Then you would have stayed!"he said. I could barely see him through the thick fog that has been clouding my vision.  
  
"No,no I wouldn't have."I told him,losing my harsh tone.  
  
"But then you'd be here longer."he said,his voice quavering.  
  
"Don't worry about when I'll leave okay? Dulcie will stay with you and you won't have to go back."I said,getting on my knees and trying to soothe my little brother.  
  
"I know, I just don't want to lose anybody anymore."he said,letting his hot,angry tears flow.  
  
"Rory,I'm never leaving you for good."I said attempting to hug him.  
  
"No,please,don't."he said,looking at me and walking away.  
  
Feeling hurt,I walked away. I didn't know what to do with him. He knew way too much for a twelve year old. He was also very mature but this was too much of a burden.  
  
I then automatically put my hand to the wall and walked slowly towards the bathroom. I never would have thought a crappy metal boarder aligning the walls is what would be something that I needed to depend on. Of course, I'd never thought it'd come down to this.  
  
I then took a steaming hot shower. Once,after having quite a few shots in me, I turned the water on near freezing and almost jumped through the glass door. Ever since I make sure I turn it all the way to the right,so it won't and can't go any farther. Next I pulled on a pair of flannel night pants. I told Dulcie that if I had to wear the equvilent of a parka, I'd at least go out in style.  
  
Then I felt my way towards the medicine cabinet. We have an old timey kind that is built into the wall. I counted my two pills out the first bottle,one pill out of the second,and skipped all the way to the other end and got out four from the last and popped them into my mouth,chewing them each individualy. That's what I have to take to have a day similar to this one. The amount to have a crappy day is beyond me.  
  
"Matt?"Dulcie asked unsurely,knocking on the bathroom door. "You okay?"she asked.  
  
"Yeah,I,it just hurts."I said,noticing that I had whimpered outloud.  
  
"Hey Matt,"she said.  
  
"Yeah?"I replied.  
  
"Open the door."she said. I had no choice but to give in. I fumbled with the door until it opened.  
  
"Come one,"she said,taking my hand and leading me to my room. "You talk to him.He thinks that you're giving up."she stated sullenly.  
  
"I don't even see the point in trying. Do I try some more to stay here and lose the sliver of vision I have or stay to go through chemo every week?"I said angrily.  
  
"You stay for us."she said.  
  
"I'll try to stay as long as I can."I said,accepting the hug.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Man that one sure took a long time. Those were the characters that I made up, Dulcie and Rory that is, and it's from Scug/Matt's point of view. Expect a surprise in the very near future, I have something really really big in store for ya.   
  
Please review,  
  
Everwood89  
  
p.s. - aw! thats so...well not cute. but its soo...yeah. thanks for updating!! - what's that mean crazy4nc128 ?it went totally over my head.....  
  
p.s.2 - in case some of you guys didn't catch on, ephram doesn't know quite as much about scug as he thought! 


	11. UntitledForNow

"Where ya been Ephram?" Grandpa asked me as soon as I closed the kitchen door.  
  
"Atomic comics,"I said simply. I hoped he wouldn't notice that I was a bit intoxicated, breathing in gasps, had red lips, and a little frazzled from an intense makeout hour.  
  
"You were supposed to be home," he said then paused to look at his watch,"and hour and twenty three minutes ago."he finished.  
  
"I lost track of time," I tryed to explain.  
  
"We called ou though."he answered gruffly.  
  
"Yeah,at least twenty times." Nonnie recalled.  
  
"DDR music gets me...." I said. Thinking back, I do remember my phone chirping away in my pocket.  
  
"Well,next time, call us."  
  
"Yeah,I will."I replied."So am I free to go?"I asked after a few moments,pointing dubiously towards the stairs.  
  
"Yeah,sure,sure."  
  
"You need some help?" Nonnie asked me.I shook my head no."Your room is the third one to the left."Nonnie informed me.  
  
"Uh,no,I got it. But thanks,yeah,thanks."I replied,just a little too late though. 


	12. Pain

I watched Ephram absentmindedly walk into his room. He looked like he was concentrating too hard on something. Then he fumbled with his stereo, almost adjusting the music to blaring and lied down on his bed. He still hadn't seen me,perched on his desk. Most of been some hell of a thought.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?!"he jumped up and asked,stunned.  
  
"I told you I was coming. I can actually repeat it. I said exactly,and I quote exactly, "I'm gonna see this Amy girl if its the last thing I get to do before I die."and then you replied with a simple "Yeah,alright." which I think you said to please me."I told him.  
  
"But you never said that you were coming this soon."he replied.  
  
"Nope,you just got bad memory,I told you I'd be coming pretty soon as in a week or so.That's not a quote, just a fact.You totally still do suck at math,I might add.But if you don't want me here,I can easily take the four in the morning one..."I trailed off.  
  
"And you never got past basic English but let's not bring that us shall we?I want you here alright. But you might wanna leave after a day, it gets boring as crap in an instant."he said.  
  
"That's why I came man! I can maybe make it a little better by raising a little hell while I'm here,then it won't be as bad for you when I leave."I said,already devising a plan.  
  
"Ah,that's quite alright. I don't want to be banished from here, just make everybody mad. You'd get somebody all the way in on the west coast ticked if you started something here."he smirked.  
  
"Well,I thank you for such a highly complement."I replied.  
  
"Here,let's go downstairs. My dad's probably wondering why the music stopped so abruptly."he said leading me out here and downstairs.  
  
"Is that you Delia?"I questioned the little girl sitting at the kitchen bar, nibbling on a PopTart.  
  
"Who are yo-? Wait,aren't you Scug?"she questioned,peering with curious eyes.  
  
"There's only one copy of me. Well,I think there's CopyCat Scug in Wales,but he's totally opposite and lives on a moor."I said creatively.  
  
"So it is you. I remember now. How's Rory?"she asked after giving me a quick hug.  
  
"He's still...Rory."I said,not knowing quite how to explain it. He wasn't quite talking to me yet so I couldn't tell her if I wanted to.  
  
"And you remember my father,Dr.Andy Brown?"he said,introducing us.  
  
"Kinda sorta,how goes Doc ?"I asked,extending my hand.  
  
"I kinda sorta remember you too,well actually not at all,but everything's fine."he said after whiping his hand on a dish towel.  
  
"You outa remember me,I was only at your house every waking minute."I said.  
  
"I remember that Ephram told me you had the shaved head there."he said thinking back. I then shot Ephram a dangerous look.  
  
"I couldn't let the opportunity pass,"Ephram said sauntered, giving me a cheesy grin.  
  
"Oh,"Andy said to himself,watching us tentively."So how long you staying?"he then said,trying to break the awkwardness.  
  
"Um,a few days,as long as you'll put up with me really."I said."I'll probably go after a few though,Dulcie might decide to invest in a coffin."I said sarcastically although it came out all too dry. We'd already done that,the two of us that is.  
  
"Oh,okay.Your welcome to stay as long as you need to."he said. From Ephram's view it would have seemed like just as long as I wanted. But what Andy really meant is that he wanted me to stay as long as it would take me to tell Ephram and to clear everythign up.  
  
"Yeah,cool,thanks."I said smoothly,pushing the thought to the back of my head.  
  
"Just outa curiousity Dad,are you cooking tonight?"Ephram asked. I'd heard about his father's cooking between the both of them and it wasn't quite polished.  
  
"Yeah,I was. How about this. You guys go out and get something and do whatever else you want to,get some movies,and swing back here?"he suggested,knowing that I shouldn't stay out too long.  
  
"Sounds alright,Matt? What about you?"he asked.  
  
"Uh,sure,sounds cool to me too."I said.  
  
"Alright,well you guys have fun,don't raise to much hell together though. I guess we'll be over at Nina's if you need anything."he said grabbing Delia's jacket that was slung over a chair.  
  
"Bye,"Ephram said,seeing them to the door.  
  
"Yeah,see ya."I replied.  
  
It was quite hard to act as if I hadn't known Andy. We'd unfortunatly become close 'friends' within the last few months,with all his emergency trips to Manhattan. Ephram suspected something was wrong but not me and especially not cancer. Nobody ever suspected it all - I didn't even see it coming.  
  
"So,what'll it be? We have a diner, Mama Joy's;and an Italian and Chinese place,Gino Chang's. You're pick."Ephram said,presenting me with dinner choices.  
  
"Italian and Chinese?"I inquired.  
  
"Long story,but it's about the equivilent of Frank serving us."he summed up for me. Frank was a drag queen as he would put it,who worked many various jobs. Starbucks,Mars2112,and Ray's Bagels just to name a few.  
  
"Well then it's a deal. You know what, I need a shower,you know just in case we run into this Amy angel. Can you appoint me in that direction?"I asked sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah,sure."he said leading me out into the hallway."The bathroom is right there,scream real loud if you need anything."he said,handing me a towel.  
  
"Alright,thanks."I said,taking it and walking down the hallway to the bathroom.  
  
As soon as Ephram left me,the pain inflamed like a severe burn. It shot up from my eyes to my temples,way too close to each other for comfort. I dropped to the ground and rubbed my temples contently as the pain intensified. The pain was equal to a thousand little shards of glass being jammed between your skin and you skull. Not any room to shift it to a side, just barely enough to keep it from protruding out of your scalp. I then squeezed my head with both my palms,hoping to make it cease.  
  
"Please God,make it stop!"I said in an anguished whisper as the pain went on triumphantly. A silent tear ran down my cheek. It made me wish I would have never came in the first place. If I was still home, Dulcie would have automatically rushed to my side and sat with me, giving me the abundant amounts of pills that it took to make the pain dull just the slightest little bit.  
  
I had a whole lot of pills jammed into my pockets and in my bag. Dulcie had made sure that I wouldn't run out. She made sure I had the 'vomit' pills that usually stopped the pain for a little while,but its unfortunate side effects made me heave my insides out usually. I was tempted to great extremes to take two or three of them. But I had no choice. I didn't want Ephram to know so I had to deal with it myself. Then the pain was joined by it's extended family. It felt like staples boring into my skull. If only I could make it stop.....  
  
I watched with alert eyes as I saw Matt cower in the middle of the hallway,holding onto his head. He rubbed his temples contently as he rocked himself slowly. He also seemed to be mumbling something to himself,ensconced in deep thought. It was hard to understand what he was saying. I was going to proceed to help him but instead thought it better to suggest it lightly while we were out. Probably just another hangover or something.....  
  
*******************************************************************************************************************  
  
Sadly,the big surprise might have to wait a little bit, my school work is catching up to me and my big brother is coming home on the weekend,probably leaving with about three hours of downtime which I plan to attempt to sleep in the duration. If I end up having another sick day from school,I'll make the surprise but no promises. It'll be up by Sunday I hope. How do you guys like the POV changes? I hope I made it clear, I try to state everybody else's name in the first few paragraphs so you can figure out who it is. One last thing though,for those of you who still read this (which isnt very many sadly...) what is another instrument that you want Ephram to play? I've got something in mind but I wanna compare. Next chapter up pretty soon I think.  
  
Happy reading,  
  
Carla 


	13. Jaywalking

Sorry I haven't updated in a loooooong time. School really sucks. But anyways, we've started a new quarter and I'm pretty sure I made all A's if not one B. So I'll be updating on a regular median, just gotta figure it out though. This chapter contains minor spoilers for 'Just Like The Movies' but I've totally changed the characters around so it won't spoil much. Next chapter being typed as soon as I finish this one. Happy Reading!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So,what's up with you and this Amy girl?"Scug asked me as we were walking down the sidewalk.  
  
"Ah,long story,but I don't know if we're quite speaking.."I said trailing off.  
  
"You kiss her or something?"he asked quizically,probably remembering back to when I had blurted it out while we were talking once.  
  
"Amazingly,it was nothing near that."  
  
"Oh,"he said,noticing that I didn't want to go on too much further with the subject at hand.  
  
"So,what's in store for you guys this year? They still staying or what?"I asked,moving on to some of the questions that I had wanted to ask but left too soon to ask.  
  
"Um, Rory is still in the undecided, I think he's gonna try and make this his last year of high school, he doesn't seem to like the kids he's with so he'll be dropping back down a few levels. And Dulcie is probably sticking around at least for a little bit longer."he explained."I think it's because she's gotten a little rusty in her French,she'll never be able to keep up."  
  
"Ah yeah,that could be a little turn off. What about that place she's got?"  
  
"Oh,yeah,um she's still running around with it. And she could always use a pianist."he added.   
  
"I think I've had my share of ballet pratices..."I said opening the door for him, remembering back to when I first moved here.  
  
"So that's what you guys call fine cusine?" Scug asked as we walked out of the resturant.  
  
"Once you get past the Italian being made by an Oriental man,it's quite good. Or maybe its really bad and I just like it because it's better than Dad's..."I said jokingly but it probably was the truth.  
  
"Where's the recipet?"  
  
"Right here,what you want the number for take out delivery?"I asked,digging deep inside my pocket. We had that number on speed dial.  
  
"I wanna pay my half. What eight fifty? God, you can buy like a fourth of a meal for that price in New York."he said,handing me the money.  
  
"It's six thirty and I got it. And trust me, I got it. I'm charging everything else to my dad's account."I said.  
  
"Oh,that must be reassuring for your old man."  
  
"I'm one of his trustees,"I said,as we walked into the movie rental store.  
  
"So, we've got 'The Pianist', 'XXX', and my personal favorite, 'Grand Theft Auto Vice City Miami', by the way which you seriously need to own." Scug cited.  
  
"Yeah, but don't forget ET for the zillionth time and then I got something new for Delia, 'Little Secrets' which is supposedly good." I added.  
  
"Hey, you know, Rory rented that, I think he got suckered into it though, Dulcie's been trying to cleanse him in almost every way, shape, or form....." Scug commented.  
  
" - I'm serious, I can't read. What's this one called?" a kid who was in front of us told the clerk.   
  
"L-lo-ord O-of T-th-th-the R-ri-ri-ngs T-th-th-th-the T-ta-tale O-of Th - " said the clerk, with a speech impendament.  
  
"What? Can you start back at the beginning?"  
  
"I-I've got to get back to my work."the clerk said strongly.  
  
"This is your work and you suck at it freak!"the kid said, his posse laughing behind him.  
  
"Hey,why don't you, and your gang go see the Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang matinee at the cinema?" Scug butted in, stopping whatever other rude comment the boy hand.   
  
I don't know if it was the way Scug looks with him being bald or whether it was just that he looked a little rough with the tattoos but the kid immediantly stopped and walked out, placing his movies on the counter with his possee following.  
  
  
  
"You know, back in New York if he was there and I was twelve, I'd probably do the same as the kid. But now I know what it is to have a problem that really sucks...."Scug admitted.  
  
"Yeah, same thing here. Yo, gotta wait dude, you can't just randomly jaywalk although its advised in New York, you gotta use the crosswalk. We have no intention of being brought home by the men in blue or whatever they wear here." I said grabbing his elbow and holding him still, remembering my little skirmish with the police from last winter.  
  
"That's a reason why I can't live here and you gotta move back." Scug told me, almost pleadingly.   
  
"Yeah, well maybe so but I've got to stay here."  
  
"For what?" he shot back almost angrily.  
  
"I've got somebody."I said quietly. 


	14. Old Times

"Matt Ephram, wake up!" Delia said loudly.   
  
I could see Ephram's figure get up slowly and probably giving her a somewhat questioning look. I sure would have given her more than that but at the moment I ignored her, closing my eyes completely and shutting out all the strenous color pixels of Everwood.  
  
But all in all, it didn't matter where I was. It all blended and meshed together as black. Or for kicks one might say ebony or some other rich word to disguise it, that of which could easily come out wrong.   
  
For me though, it's all the same - I see it as black. Darkness. Uncertianty. Fear. Total damnation. My own living Hell.  
  
"You know that means you too." Delia said, poking me on my bare shoulder. I remained silent. "I know you're hungry. You're teeth are clenched." she said poking and proding at me. Just like the doctors. Just like her father. Little did she know that my teeth were clenched awaiting the pain that was sure to come. "Ah ha! I felt that. Your jaw tightened when I move you like this."she repeated her actions once more, placing one hand on top of my head and the other on the bottom of my jaw, trying to make my mouth open by pulling my jaw down and head up.  
  
"And I felt it too!" I popped up in the chair saying, making her jump back as she let out a little shreak. I could see Ephram shaking his head and smiling at us.  
  
He gave me the 'let's do it' look that we had made back when he was in New York and his mother was still alive. Every so often when she least expected t, we'd pick her up by her hands and feet and start swinging her, tossing her usually on a plush couch or bed. Once we missed though, right in front of Mrs. Brown. Delia landed in a heap of clothes piled high in Ephram's room. Delia didn't mind it at all and Mrs. Brown didn't say anything but from then on we made sure that she landed on something.  
  
With devious grins, we both silently agreed on what to do next. Ephram dropped the shirt he was questioning of putting on and I kept Delia pre-occupied by telling her one of the corniest 'Why did the chicken cross the road' jokes and when she told me that she didn't know, I told her 'Because it wanted to become a hen.' She laughed even though I don't think she quite got it.  
  
With shaky hands since I couldn't quite see everything right, I took her hands while Ephram took her feet. I think she'd forgotten that we did that since Ephram and I haven't been together for the longest. She yelled loudly, being taken by surprise.  
  
"Look who has the reflexes of a dead cow!" Ephram exclaimed as we swung her left to right. I just laughed at the whole thing. It felt great to know a world outside of absentee parents and cancer. Especially cancer.  
  
"Delia, what are you making all this noise for?" Andy questioned as he walked into the room, his voice dropping of 'for'. He stopped on what he was going to lecture us on as a wide grin errupted across his face. "You guys just be ready in ten minutes and meet me out in the car."he said smiling and shaking his head as he walked out the door. 


	15. An IHOP And A Phone Call All In One Trip

This chapter might be a little choppy to understand because I want to get different POVs in but it makes no absolute sense to chop it up like I would usually do so here goes nothing! Happy Reading!  
  
********************************************************  
  
"So, just outa curiosity, you woke us up at seven something just to take us joyriding at probably twenty miles or so an hour?" Ephram asked quizzically.  
  
"Ah, not exactly.....well something like that." Andy said after a little while, smiling.  
  
"Joyriding?" Delia questioned.  
  
"Try just driving for the fun of it without any directions, maps, or stops." I told her.  
  
"Ah,it's all becoming so clear of how we ended up here." Ephram said sarcastically.  
  
"I'm so glad for you Ephram." Andy replied back just as sarcastic.  
  
"Where are you taking us Dad?" she asked.  
  
"If I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise but what I can tell you is that there is food incorperated in somewhere."he said turning to look over at her for a brief moment before turning his attention back to the road.  
  
"For tis for part...is it actually edible food? Or are you screwing with me again, because I don't like being screwed with."  
  
"How about this. It's not mine nor Nina's, costs more than the fifteen bucks it takes to but an Oriental pizza, and isn't cooked at a diner that we all have come to know and love.  
  
"What can it be then?" she asked.  
  
"Good question." he commented.  
  
"You'll find out in almost three hours. Until then no more, I'm not going to tell you." Andsy ended with, leading us in a silent three hour ride. I placed my headphones back on my ears snuggly and closed my eyes to brace myself for the drive.  
  
******************************************************  
  
"An IHOP?" I questioned, standing outside of the car with my hands deep inside my pockets.  
  
"What's an IHOP?" Delia questioned.  
  
"It's not just an IHOP my friends, its The International House Of Pancakes." Matt said in an announcer like voice.  
  
"Well put Matthew." Dad said taking Delia's awaiting hand and leading us inside.  
  
"Welcome to IHOP !" shouted some waiters friendly as we walked inside.  
  
"I thought they only cloned sheep in England? What about you?" Matt whispered in my ear.  
  
"Seconded."I said back nodding in agreement.  
  
We were just about finished when Dad's phone which was placed on the side of the table, chirped. We all exchanged glances as it continued to ring softly, now starting to vibarate.  
  
"I'm sorry. Let them take my plate. Just give me one minute Ephram." he said giving me an especially apologetic look and letting himself out of the booth.  
  
"Techonology sucks."Matt said, seeing Delia follow Dad with her eyes.  
  
"No, actually, it doesn't, just his." I said dryly.  
  
******************************************************  
  
I walked away from the table as quickly as I could, seeing that my cell phone flashed EMERGENCY in bold red letters. Since I wasn't in New York, I figured that it must have been something important, so I quickened my pace even more so.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Yes, Dr.Brown, this is Dulcie."she said eagerly.  
  
"Oh,Dulcie,hello. What's the matter?"  
  
"It's Matt, I can't find him. He has an MRI and a blood transfusion for today and I can't find him."she said almost breathlessly.  
  
"Why, Matt came here for a little visit. Didn't you know that?"I asked her, shaking my head. So tricky...  
  
"No, Rory wanted some bagels yesterday morning and he told me he would stop by Starbucks to grab some coffee for himself and swing by and get some bagels. He never came back so I figured he got sidetracked to the comic place or something but they said they hadn't seen him...."she said almost disbelievingly.  
  
"Ah,well, he got here around seven in the evening last night. I'll have a talk with him when we get back in."  
  
"Where are you at?"  
  
"An IHOP, I wanted to do something nice for Ephram and him."   
  
"Well, is there anyway you can get his stuff scheduled at Denver Medical?"  
  
"Yes, but why the rush?"  
  
"He had a seizure a few days after Ephram left."  
  
"Ah, alright alright, you know what, why don't you and Rory come over, I'll pay you for the fair and we can get things straightened out."  
  
"Can do, I was just heading to the airport to find out what flight he took...I'm sorry but can I, um, call you back later?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sure. When you get the tickets or whenever. Just call me on my cell."  
  
"Okay,thanks....can you make sure he stays there though? He probably has some other plan to bail out on Ephram and go somewhere else."  
  
"Yeah, no problem. I'll make sure."  
  
"Okay,thanks Dr.Brown."  
  
"Please, call me Andy."  
  
"Thanks Andy."  
  
"No problem Dulcie. Talk to you later."  
  
"Alright bye."she said before clicking the phone off.  
  
******************************************************  
  
"Where are we going next?"Delia asked as soon as we hit the road again.  
  
"Ah,honey, I've gotta stop by the hospital for a bit, then we'll do something fun and swing back home, call it a night."Dad told her.  
  
"How long are we gonna be there?"I asked.  
  
"I promise it won't take long but I see you packed for a trip to Canada and back." Dad said trying to enlighten the mood.  
  
"You never know when riding with you."I muttered.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Alright, I'll be out as quick as I can. Stay together."  
  
"What about food?"I asked.  
  
"You just ate an hour ago."he answered, poking his head though my open window.  
  
"She'll probably get hungry in the meantime."  
  
"Alright, here's twenty dollars.Page me if you need anything."he said hastily pulling out some money.  
  
"Yeah, whatever."I answered.  
  
"You know, I say we split that twenty into three parts."Matt said trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"But three doesn't go into twenty.Right?"  
  
"That's why I say my man Ephram gets nine, I get nine, and you my friend get - "  
  
"Three, but that's not even."  
  
"Good point."  
  
"That's why he gave the money to me."I butted in.  
  
"Even better point."  
  
"What are we going to do?"  
  
"I dunno. Elevator races?" I offered.  
  
"Yeah!" Delia said, who was in for just about anything.  
  
"I'll pass." Matt said.  
  
"Well what about....trolly races!"Delia offered.  
  
"Nah,"  
  
"Bugging the nurses!"  
  
"Paging all the doctors to the same room?"  
  
"Visiting the babies!"  
  
"Pulling the fire alarms?"  
  
"Madman contests!"  
  
"Madman contests?Delia, where did that one come from? We never played that back in New York."  
  
"It seemed like a good idea."she explained.  
  
"And visiting the babies? I think you got two passes for that one..."  
  
"Why do I get the notion that you don't like hospitals?"I asked him.  
  
"Good question."he replied quickly.  
  
"Come on, we can find something to do, they got a rec room with a few video games."  
  
"Yeah,it'll be fun."Delia said.  
  
"Just so I'm not the bad guy, I'll come."he said.  
  
"It'll be fun..."  
  
"Ha,fun,"he scoffed as Delia jumped on my back for a piggy back ride,"I don't think at the least bit it'll be fun." 


	16. UntitledForNow2

This is really short but I want to isolate what's going to happen in this next chapter from everything else. So, enjoy and drop me a line!  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you guys want for dinner?" Andy shouted from downstairs.  
  
"Holy crap, you guys actually eat a second meal." I said, contrasting my life in New York from here. But of course, now I'm forcefully made to eat the three nutritional meals every-single-day by either Rory, the whopping seventy pound kid brother or Dulcie, the ninty somethinger who even though is graceful while dancing, can kick some major ass if needed. So I was rather comparing now to my 'former' eating habits.  
  
"It depends on what you call a meal and slash or if he's in a chipper or spiteful mood." he said, turning the music down just a little bit.  
  
"Hey, I heard that!" Andy said from the other side of the door playfully.  
  
"So did we!" Ephram said back. "Hey, you know you just about defeated the purpose of gravity, inertia, and knocking?" he shot back from one of the latest installments of Cowboy Bebop.  
  
"It's my house, so technically my door. What do you guys want? It's eleven thirty and if you guys don't tell me what you want now, you aren't getting a thing because you're not going back out at a time like this." he said making an emphasis on "you're" while looking at me with a 'look'.  
  
"I'll pass." Ephram shot quickly." You?"  
  
"I'm still full from earlier." I said. Andy shot me another look, well knowing that I had barely touched my plate earlier.  
  
"Alright, that makes it real easy. Just don't stay up too late, good night you guys."  
  
"'Night Dad."  
  
"G'night Doc."  
  
"Oh yeah, don't turn your music up too loud...you'll want a good rest in the morning  
  
"Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't make too much noise with that god-forbidden music and see that he goes to bed at at appropriate time." I said jokingly.  
  
"Oh, thanks Matthew, that's so comforting." Andy said smiling to himself, probably asking himself why did he let me stay, as he continued onto his room.  
  
"You know, there's something 'bout you that says 'English Nanny' ."Ephram said looking of the top of his Cowboy Bebop. "And may I remind you that the image that we're trying to project is just the opposite."  
  
"Oh man, you're sooooo dead." I said, standing up throwing the nearest pillow at his direction.  
  
"Hey, look who else has the reflexes of a dead cow." he said. Before I could even know what he was talking about, he had grabbed my pants leg and jerked it with just enough force that I fell over backward, with his bed comforter that was thrown off earlier saving me.  
  
"Oh, you're so not right." I said getting back up and sitting on top of him.  
  
"Dude, that's just about equivalent as to Delia sitting on me." he laughed he squirmed underneath me.  
  
"But I bet you that Delia had never tried to suffocate you dead." I said grabbing the nearest pillow.  
  
"Yeah, you're right, she doesn't try to suffocate me when I'm dead." he replied smartly, still trying to move.  
  
"Ah, smartass, you know what I mean." I said placing the pillow snuggly over his face, just so he could barely see me.   
  
"Delia!" he managed to shout out.   
  
"Shhh, don't call her!" I whispered but it was too late.  
  
"Can I play too?!" Delia asked eagerly.  
  
"Whoa, what, we're not playing. We were trying to kill each other." I answered her.  
  
"Yeah, no fun. And we were just about to call it a tie and a night." he said swooping her up swiftly.  
  
"Are you lying to me?"   
  
"Do I strike you as a liar?" he asked he innocently.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Wrong answer." I whispered in her ear.  
  
"Well, actually yes, yes you do."  
  
"Good one." I told her.  
  
"Dude, you're an eviler influence on her than I am."  
  
"Why, I thank you."  
  
"Alright, I'll make a deal with you. "  
  
"Okay," she said sleepily.  
  
"Before he leaves, I promise you that...we'll go to see a movie or eat out or something. Just the three of us. How's that sound?" he asked."  
  
"Hasher's so easy." I whispered, seeing that she was already asleep.  
  
"That's only about twenty five percent of the time. Come on, let's go before she wakes back up." he whispered to me, tucking her in even more so and walking out of her room, leaving the door just the smallest bit ajar. 


	17. UntitledForNow3

A/N - I'm getting waaay too busy to update this particular story as frequently as I'd like so I'm going to put an end to it within the next few couple of chapters (take this as your warning for the 'short fall and subtle stop'). I'm already starting on another story in which I think you guys will like but before I even start that I plan to do something with all the other 'startlets' that I've made. AND also, I'm looking somebody to co-write a story with. Leave me your email in a review if your interested. Happy reading!

__________________________________

"Hey you guys - wake up." Andy said as he poked my head through Ephram's room door. Ephram was asleep in his bed, lying on his stomach while Matthew lay balled up in a chair sitting oddly.

"Too dark outside; no school...yet." Ephram mumbled through a mound of sheets.

"I never said you were going to school, we've got to go pick somebody up." Andy said smiling to his self; New York had been sending itself in shipments to Ephram. "If nobody wakes up, I'll pick one of you to go with me." he said into the silent ,darkened room excepting the occasional muffled cough from Matthew. "Alright, I choose- you. Come on, Ephram." Andy said as I lifted the tangled sheets from around him, tossing them to the foot of his bed.

"Hey! What's that for?" Ephram questioned angrily as he rubbed his eyes.

"I just felt like it. Come on, get dressed." Andy said tossing him a pair of pants and one of those Japanese comic shirts.

"Where are you taking me?" Ephram inquired as he slipped the shirt over his head.

"Denver International." he said shortly.

"What about Delia and Matt?" 

"Don't worry about them, I'll lock the doors up tight." Andy said smiling at him and placing a stack of cds inside his son's book sack.

***

"Hey Ephram,"

"Hmmm?" he mumbled softly and rubbing his eyes once again.

"You know Matt's leaving in a few days right?" Andy began nervously.

"Yeah…what about it?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I was thinking that since you miss New York so much with all of your friends being there still and all, maybe you'd like to go there for a school term and stay with your grandparents." Andy said. Looking over briefly at Ephram, Andy couldn't tell if his son was happy and just utterly couldn't show emotion well or if he was still stuck between that damn hard spot and a rock. 

***  


"You okay?" Andy muttered caringly as he put the car in park.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired." Ephram lied. He wasn't tired and could have ran a marathon for all that he cared. As long as his father didn't make him have to choose. 

"Alright. Well, I'll go check on their flight, it should be here by now. You coming?" he asked as he opened the door to step out.

"Ah, yeah, I'll be there in a second." Ephram said distracted.

He couldn't believe that his father was actually giving him the choice between Everwood and Manhattan. And finally he had approached him and offered, he didn't have to beg and grovel for it. But when it came, he didn't want it. Everwood was starting to grow on him. It was becoming a little more than that potato chip crumb on the state map. It was starting to dawn on him as a little bit of home.


End file.
